Donald Pickett Leaves as Head Coach at Northwestern State to Become Fury Platinum VP of Player & Coach Development

Donald Pickett resigned on July 19^th as the head softball coach at Northwest State, the DI program that’s part of the Southland Conference, and he did so after 15 years and 390 wins to become the only coach in Lady Demons history to surpass the 300-win mark (see story below).

And now we know where his next opportunity will be.

Pickett will officially be announced on Tuesday as the Fury Platinum Vice President of Player & Coach Development.

Jeremy Higdon, the Fury Platinum & Connect Sports President, told Extra Inning Softball today about how impactful the hire will be.

“This is such an incredible opportunity for the Fury Platinum organization,” Higdon began. “Donald is a 20-year veteran at the Division 1 level and 15 years as a head coach. Our player and coach development are about to go to a whole new level.”

It’s a relationship between coach and club org that has been a quarter century in the making.

“Our Fury Platinum leadership has a 25-year friendship and relationship with Donald and his family,” Higdon President continued, “so we are equally excited to have Donald back home and see each other on a daily basis.”

The long-time college leader will also be coaching his daughter as the 14U Fury Platinum 14U Exclusive coach.

Pickett said earlier today that this is a position in softball he loves because of the chance to help develop younger players.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to be a part of Fury Platinum,” Pickett added, “and getting the chance to work with a lot of great people that I’ve known for years. But most importantly, it’s wonderful to be helping young people grow in our sport.”

— Brentt Eads/President & Executive Editor of Extra Inning Softball

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Pickett resigns after 15 years atop NSU softball program

Originally published July 19, 2023 on the NSU Demons website

NATCHITOCHES – Donald Pickett, Northwestern State’s all-time leader coaching wins as the softball head coach, resigned on Wednesday after 15 years atop the Lady Demon program.

A search for NSU’s head softball coach position will begin immediately.

In his 15-year career in Natchitoches, Pickett amassed 390 victories, the only coach to win more than 300 games in program history, led the Demons to back-to-back Southland Conference Tournament titles in 2013 and 2014, another conference regular season crown in 2015 and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and produced 10 winning seasons.

“Donald Pickett truly is one of the good people in our industry,” Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian said. “He rebuilt the Northwestern State softball program in his image – that of hard work, a competitive drive and dedication to completing whatever task needed to be accomplished.

“Coach Pickett’s numbers speak for themselves and have a place at the top of Northwestern State’s record books, but the impact he made on the student-athletes he coached has and will continue to be seen for years to come.”

During his time at NSU, he coached some of most prolific players in program history including three-time all-conference selections Kellye Kincannon, Tara McKenney and Cassandra Barefield and 2015 conference pitcher of the year Mikayla Brown. He also coached 2022 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year Sage Hoover as well as six different NFCA all-region honorees.

Pickett-coached players hold at least five spots in the single-season top 10 record book of seven offensive categories – batting average, runs scored, RBI, home runs, doubles, slugging percentage and walks.

His players are listed among the top five in 12 different career offensive categories with four of the top five home run hitters in program history all playing for Pickett between 2012-17.

After taking over the program in 2009, Pickett engineered the largest single-season turnaround in program history with 22 more wins, setting the stage for NSU’s return to one of the elite programs in the Southland Conference.

Just three years later, Pickett began one of the best three-year runs ever by going 106-55 (.658) from 2013-15, the second-highest winning percentage in any three-year window that also produced two of NSU’s five conference tournament titles.

In 2013, Pickett was voted LSWA Coach of the Year after leading the team to its best winning percentage (.727), the longest winning streak (11) since 1998, the fewest losses (15) since 1983 and the best 20-game start (16-4) since 1990.

His on-field reconstruction and success was also seen in the facilities as the Lady Demon Diamond saw countless improvements to the stadium and surrounding complex during his tenure. NSU hosted three SLC Tournaments during Pickett’s tenure.

A Tennessee native, Pickett has been a coach for more than 20 years since beginning his career at Chattanooga Community College near his hometown of Whitwell.